


The Stars Against Us

by BlackenedThorne (BlueThorne)



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Angst, M/M, POV First Person, Self-cest, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-31 15:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19428418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueThorne/pseuds/BlackenedThorne
Summary: 2Dante finds himself with a chance to reshape his past, but his past self has him a bit distracted.





	The Stars Against Us

**Author's Note:**

> This is an odd little drabble I wrote for a pal who shares this weird specific self-cest pair with me.

I believed there to be some rule about interacting with your past self - namely, don’t. Yet, once I understood my situation, I sought him out. He fought alone in a park against too many opponents. Demon claws had torn into exposed skin - too much exposed skin - turning him into a blood-streaked mess. He showed no sign of pain, though. For every demon that marred him, he cut them down in return with a barking laugh. 

I knew that had once been me. I used to go mad with the thrill of a fight, but that was back before they all blended together. I couldn’t recall that feeling anymore. 

He wouldn’t have been able to get himself home had I not been there. If he’d been less of a mess, he probably wouldn’t have cooperated and let me lead him back. At least, I hoped not. He was far too accepting of the situation.

“Wow, you’re me?” He kept pawing at my face and slurring like a drunk from blood loss. My attempts to pry his hands away so I could focus on removing broken claw tips from his wounds did nothing to discourage him. “Damn, I get hot. I mean, not that I’m not already a fine catch as-is. I’m sure you can tell.” 

He winked at me, and I blinked back. “Are you flirting with me?” I regretted asking as soon as the words left my mouth. 

“Abso-fucking-lutely I am. If you meet a clone or a version of yourself from the future, you’re supposed to fuck them. That’s just what you do.” He snickered at himself, and I got the feeling the blood loss wasn’t the only thing making him drunk. 

Returning my focus to his wounds, I watched the muscles and jagged flesh struggle to reform. I’d forgotten how long my healing used to take. He didn’t have his Trigger yet. The tower hadn’t been raised yet. He was still so young. 

I felt his cheek come to rest against my shoulder as he hummed a note of curiosity. Even without looking, I could tell his eyes were trying to dig past my features to find answers about his future. “You’re not much fun,” he said. 

“No, I guess not.”

His hand, caked in dry flecks of blood, pressed to the side of my face with insistence until I gave in to his whims and turned toward him. Our noses touched in the awkward, cramped angle. “I don’t want your future,” he said. Exhaustion softened the edge of determination in his eyes. 

“You don’t,” I agreed, but I wasn’t sure he had a choice. If things were going to change, I would have to work quickly to intervene. His world didn’t have much time left. It would begin to collapse out from under him soon. As I opened my mouth to tell him as much, he spoke over me.

“Don’t tell me. I don’t care. Don’t tell me anything. I’ll take care of it myself.”

“It won’t be that easy.” And yet, trying to convince him of that would be an even more difficult feat. I used to be such a damn stubborn kid. 

“Shush.” He smacked his hand against my cheek again with a smile. “You might be from the future, but that doesn’t mean you’re my future, okay? I’m in charge. Fate’s only real when I need it for a pick-up line.” He snickered again, his nose wrinkling as he stuck out his tongue. 

“Regardless of what you think, the world is against you. If fate is real, it is not on your side.”

“Well, the world is against  _ us  _ now.” His arms snapped around my waist like a bear trap and pulled me closer. I had no choice but to tilt my chin up as he nuzzled against my neck. His words rumbled along my throat. “You are staying, right? Not like you have anywhere to be.”

I should have gone to stop the worst of the threats before they could begin. I should have gone to the islands I’d sworn I’d never revisit. I shouldn’t have remained to interfere with him when I could have been more use elsewhere.

But I didn’t want to leave him alone.

I didn’t want to be alone.

“I suppose someone will need to get you to bed,” I said as I put my arms around him in return and scooped him up into a carry. “You’re not much use to yourself for the moment.”

He smiled against the skin of my neck. “Oh, taking me to bed already? Not even going to buy me a drink first?”

“I think you’ve had enough.”

He snuggled closer, but his grasp slackened, and his voice grew soft. “I should really shower first. I’m a fucking mess. You’re welcome to join me.”

“The flirting doesn’t land well when you’re half asleep. Try again in the morning.”

“So you’re spending the night?”

“I suppose I am.”

He breathed a sigh, and the last of the tension slumped from his body. “Good.”

Perhaps he would have been happy to have anyone stay. I was just convenient for the time being. 

Perhaps, in that way, we were the same, just looking for someone who wouldn’t leave.

So I lay down beside him and brushed the flaking dried blood from his face. He was still so young. He could still smile and sleep without constant nightmares. As I watched him doze and traced the raw new skin where his wounds had been with the tips of my fingers, I wondered if I might be able to keep him that way. Maybe he was right, and I could save him from my future. 

If I could erase my existence entirely, it would be for the best. 

Anything to save him. 


End file.
